In Too Deep
by Melain
Summary: To attend college Ryou has many scholarships and one includes being an interpreter for the school. But when he goes to a hospital to interpret for an Arabic man will he get too involved? What will happen when the guy gets worse? maybe RxM notsure


I'm proud of the plot, but I hate how I wrote it! XP The main idea is that Ryou ends up being an interpreter for Malik and Marik (and the other Ishtars) because I decided that they don't speak English. Ah, the power of a writer. Anyway; the beginning is okay, but when I get to switching languages it _really _sucks. Someday I'll write it better and this chapter will be reposted.

Anyway I love this plot because 1. I came up with it and 2. It's NEVER been used before. OMG I have the worst habit of writing cliché fics, this is orginal! Go me!

So I hope you like it to the extent it allows, please ignore any mistakes and how badly it's written. I'll get around to re-editing it eventually.

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Disclaimer: Melain doesn't own YGO or any of its characters (OC's are mine though), and I don't own Princeton University (obviously!)…

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**Bold wording** means it's in Arabic

Thoughts are kinda just thrown in there…

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Chapter 1

Soft grey clouds stood vacant and as far as the eye could see in the late October afternoon; a foreshadow of the autumn rain that would appear out of no where at the most inconvenient time. At least that's what usually seemed to be the case in Princeton, New Jersey. After spending only a little more than a year in the United States, 20-year-old Ryou Bakura, sophomore at Princeton University, had found that the weather had been and would always be completely unpredictable. Indicating he'd given up a long time ago at recognizing or even trying to find any sort of weather pattern. The only one available was it was unbearably hot in the summer, blistering cold in the winter, and the seasons in between were all over the place and usually had more rain than the before mentioned seasons.

This particular Thursday afternoon it was warm and overcast, unlike yesterday where it was partially clear and cold enough to bite at his skin and turn people's cheeks a light rosy color. Then today, just to screw with the college students, it made itself warm so everyone will have to just deal with the warmer clothes they had put on to avoid the same fate they had endured the day before. Now it seemed it was going to rain soon, but then again it could not rain at all and it will be sunny and warm by the weekend. It gave Ryou a headache to think about it.

Said white-haired sophomore was currently rushing to get to his next class across campus. He had a lecture for his history class that he could NOT miss, and he was already going to be at least five minutes late. The wind had started to pick up a while ago and his long silver-white locks that were usually kept in somewhat good order, hanging just barley at mid-back (meaning he needed to probably cut it soon), was now disheveled and splayed partially into his line of vision. But if he could at least make out where he was running and not bump into anyone then he didn't mind at the moment. His worn in sneakers took the steps two at a time as he reached his building; a thigh-length brown jacket was worn unbuttoned, revealing his faded blue jeans and the black-turtle neck sweater he had stupidly worn thinking it would be as cold as it was yesterday. Though it did him some justice; covering more of his deathly pale skin from the wind. The single strap of his backpack kept slipping off his shoulder as he burst through the building door and made for his lecture room hurriedly. One hand hosting the bag back up and the other trying to fix his hair, he finally made it to his room and opened the doors without pausing to catch his breath.

The professor stopped talking in mid-sentence and every pair of eyes landed on the Brit. A light blush stained his cheeks as he made his way to his seat in the third row, muttering an apology to his teacher as he walked past him. His professor merely sighed, shaking his head and smiling lightly at his all too familiar student and continued his lecture. Ryou was a good student, he really was. Born and raised in England he had always been exceptually bright, and had naturally applied to many different colleges. The majority being advanced universities, and most were also extremely expensive. He had however earned quite a few scholarships to some Ivy League schools here in the U.S. and had eventually been accepted to Princeton. It was one of the few that he not only got accepted to but could actually afford as well. And he had to say, going to Princeton, he hadn't really done that bad for himself now had he?

After overcoming his embarrassment Ryou was once again drinking in every word of the lecture. Ryou had always had a strange fascination with history, he didn't know what it was; maybe it was just the fact that some factors were so hard to figure out that it was left unknown to the world, or that the people thousands of years ago were actually _smarter_ in some aspects than people are today… or it might just run in his blood. His father, and his grandfather, both had really successful and highly respected archeologists; Ryou wasn't much into the field work. But the actually study and working with the artifacts back in the labs and research facilities was what he honesty wanted to do with the rest of his life. To discover and write the rest of the history that had before been missing; the mystery one step closer to being solved. That's what intrigued him; and the lectures were just his way of learning even more.

He couldn't help but take extensive notes and hang on to every part of the lecture with great attention. Yes, he admitted he was probably one of the biggest history geeks on campus. The lecture ended all to quickly for him, but not for most of the other students it seemed as they had quickly packed up their stuff and filed out the door right after the professor had dismissed them. Ryou skimmed his notes briefly and sighed somewhat annoyed at his own perfectionist manner and massaged his over-worked hand a moment before also packing up his things.

"Ryou, could I speak to you for a moment?" His professor asked him before he left the room. He was a healthy looking old man, balding with grey-silver wisps along the sides, nearly machting the color of his half-mood glasses that were always sliding off of his angled nose.

"Sure, is there a problem Professor?" he asked politely, a thick British accent lacing every syllable gracefully. A warm smile spread across his professor's face as his eyes showed that he was really trying not to chuckle at the sophomore's modesty.

"No, not at all. You had signed up as an interpreter for the school when you applied did you not?"

"Um… yes, it was part of a scholarship," Ryou said, his was voice naturally soft though he seemed quite embarrassed to admit that one detail about his scholarship.

"Arabic was your other language, yes?"

"Arabic and French," Ryou corrected. The professor couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"Yes, French would be obvious wouldn't it? Anyway; I got a call from the hospital. There's a patient at the free clinic, probably still waiting in an exam room, that doesn't speak English and neither does his family members. Our current interpreter has left for a while and they needed a replacement. Are you busy this afternoon?" How could Ryou say no to him? His history professor, Professor Howes, treated him like his own grandson. Personally, Ryou had thought that he would never be asked to be an interpreter; he guessed that many students just said that they spoke the language and played the exam that accepts them as an interpreter for the school. Ryou however, could actually speak both French and Arabic fluently. French was mandatory in England, and he had learned Arabic easily with his father being an archeologist. Though he spoke it better than he read or wrote it. I guess that works better for this situation doesn't it?

"I'm not busy," Ryou said with a smile. "I'd be happy to help, do I need anything to get in or…" he added unsecurly.

"Oh no, nothing. They're just in the clinic. Tell them you're the interpreter and someone from the front desk will direct you. The good news is you don't have to hurry; most likely a doctor hasn't even gotten to them yet." Ryou laughed lightly at that, and they said their good-byes before Ryou once again hurried out the door and out towards the Princeton hospital. The white-haired sophomore had never been there, he'd never had the need to. So it took him a while to not only find the hospital but find the clinic. He pushed aside the glass doors and saw many people sitting and reading magazines on either side of him. The front desk was in front of him, a circular desk with people walking all around it; the pharmacy on a wall behind it and hallways full of exam rooms going off of that.

Ryou walked up to the front desk and didn't even get to open his mouth before the nurse interrupted him, "Just fill out those forms I'll be with you in a second." And then she was back on the phone. The forms were for patients, so all Ryou could do was wait. The nurse looked at him strangely when he didn't grab a form and motioned another nurse over in an annoyed manner. The other nurse was younger and much kinder to him.

"Can I help you with something?" her voice was quite high pitched and Ryou tried his best not to wince at it.

"Um… I'm the interpreter for the Arabic patient?" he tired unsurely. Her eyes widened in surprise though she smiled just as sweetly as before, all of her teeth unnaturally white.

"Oh yes, they are in exam room one. That hallway over there." She pointed him in the right direction and he nodded politely, saying thank you quickly and shuffling away from the desk. Some people were just so fake it was scary; it was halfway from the desk to the hallway that he suddenly remembered how much he hated hospitals. Doctors and nurses with huge fake smiles and graining perfect voices and spotless white rooms and white coats and sparkling silver tools. He had hated hospitals mostly sense he had spent much of the worst times of his childhood in them. So it had always scared him; they would always tell you everything was fine even though you knew that they were thinking of every single thing that could go wrong that could make you drop dead in matter of seconds. You could even see that in some medical students; their heads would snap up in the library if you so much as coughed, and every single fatal illness that would start out as a cough would list through their head. You could see it in their eyes and then how they would turn away but keep looking at you every time you coughed and sniffed or cleared your throat. It was horrible; Ryou physically shuddered at the thought.

He soon found the exam room and knocked meekly before opening the door. Two people stood there; both looking remarkably the same but with some minor differences. Both had tanned caramel skin, and golden blonde hair; both also looked young and were quite thin. But the one that stood leaning against the wall opposite the door was much taller, and more muscular; his hair also seemed to stand on end, and his eyes were a deep wine color. Sitting on the exam table was another man that looked about his age, maybe a little older, but certainly a couple years younger that the man against the wall. His hair was more controlled and was just past his shoulders. Though certainly not as well built as the other, he had some muscle mass; and his eyes were a striking lavender color, but were clouded over slightly in what had to be a fever. His skin shown a little more in a light sweat and he looked visibly tired. It seemed they both had been waiting a while; neither had their jacket's on and the younger had even kicked off his shoes. Still a little nervous, he shut the door behind him but didn't walk any farther into the room.

"**Hello**," Ryou said with a small smile. It was quite an informal greeting, but his Arabic was a little rusty after not speaking it for what had to be nearly 18 months now. The two were surprised when he spoke, though the younger one looked more relieved.

"**Are you the doctor?**" He asked; his voice was a little course, and a string of coughs came right after to emphasize that he normally didn't sound like that. Both of the room's occupants took a few steps towards him as he bent over coughing; but the other man reached him first only to be waved off, a light muttering was heard along the line's of I'm fine.

"**I'm not your doctor,**" Ryou told them as soon as the younger one had recovered. **"I'm here to interpret so the doctor can find out what's wrong. Have you been waiting a long time?"**

"**Over an hour,**" the elder one said, his voice very low and rich; though with his accent it would have been more of a purr had he not said it with such annoyance. Ryou sighed, making another note on his list of why hospitals suck.

"**I'm terribly sorry,**" Ryou said sympathetically. **"Why don't you just tell me what's wrong; that way when the doctor comes in I can just tell him and you both can get out of here faster. It's not very fun being in the hospital."**

The one on the table chuckled a little. **"I'm not in the hospital yet, I just need something to better than Advil and Nyquil."** Ryou giggled at that too, while the other just smirked. **"What's your name?"** The Brit blinked at the question, a little surprised.

"**My name's Ryou, Ryou Bakura."** Good luck saying that with an Arabic accent; Ryou didn't eve bother.

"**Ryou," **the other said; the name rolling of his tongue dripped richly in his Arabic accent. It actually sounded quite nice. **"My name's Malik, that asshole over there is my older brother Marik**." The said blonde just responded by flipping him off.

"**Could you tell me what's been wrong with you?" **Wow, that must have sounded weird to them; Ryou blushed as he realized his mistake. He was rusty, okay? Malik just laughed at him a little; which led to some more coughing.

"**Obviously I'm coughing; but weirdly it hasn't been my throat that's bothering me. It's more in my chest,"** he emphasized by pushing lightly against his chest, probably where it hurt the most when he was coughing. **"I've had this fever for the past two days, which kinda sucks. I didn't really want to spend my time off in bed you know?" **he said with a laugh. Ryou nodded, silently agreeing. **"Um… before that I was feeling really weak and tired all the time; every time I even sprinted I'd have problems breathing-"** His voice hitched and he had to stop talking as another string of coughs broke out. Ryou's shoulder slumped helplessly as Marik gently rubbed circles into Malik's back. He had never really been much help to anyone; especially back home. He was never really needed and couldn't offer anything that would improve the situation; whether it be at school, or at home… or at the hospital. Even now, he couldn't do anything but sit and watch this poor guy tear up his throat. If only…Wait- Ryou turned around and dug through his backpack, pulling out a half empty bottle of water. He offered it to the other who took it gratefully. Though after nearly draining it he pulled back gasping for breath. "**Thanks."**

"**No problem,**" Ryou said softly, taking the bottle from him as Malik leaned forward a little; bracing himself with his hands on either side of him, gripping the table harshly. **"Has anything else been wrong?"** This time he directed the question at both of them.

"**He sweats a lot during he night, gets the chills, and though he won't admit it he's lost some weight too."** Marik answered this time; though Malik glared at him from under his blonde bangs for the last comment. Ryou thought he looked quite thin though.

"**I'm sorry,**" Ryou said again. **"It must feel awful." **Ryou sat down on one of the spinning black chairs and was about to offer Marik one when the door opened, causing Ryou to stand up and turn his attention to the door. Even Malik sat up from his pain relieving position.

"Good Afternoon, I'm Dr. James." He wasn't as creepy as the other doctor's Ryou had encountered; he had tidy brown hair that was turning grey and the normal attire of a doctor except for the jeans and the Nike's on his feet. He looked at Ryou tiredly, "Sorry, friends of the family doesn't make you family so you'll have to leave." Ryou shifted from one foot to the other.

"Um, I'm the interpreter actually; did they tell you that they don't speak English?" Ryou motioned to the two blonde's in the room. Malik who was looking confusedly at the two, and Marik who just looked bored. Dr. James sighed.

"Oh goody," he drawled; making Ryou smile a little.

"Malik already told me what as wrong so we could save everyone some time-"

"Good," Dr. James interrupted. "I like you better than my colleagues already." Ryou smiled again at his joke. He sat down heavily in the seat Ryou was in before and scooted closer to Malik; hanging his stethoscope around his neck and looking at his file. "Egypt? Cool." He tossed the file back on the table; grabbing a thermometer and sticking it in Malik's mouth. "So what's wrong with him, other than the fever."

"U-Um… he's having some bad chest pains; and has been coughing continuously as well. He mentioned feeling really weak and some fatigue." The thermometer beeped and Dr. James pulled it out and raised an eyebrow at what it read.

"104." Malik looked at Ryou as did Marik.

"**104 degrees. That's a really high fever."** he said, looking a little shocked and slightly worried, making Malik tense a little.

"Oh stop scaring him; he'll be fine. High fever, chest pains, coughing; anything else? Tell him to lift his shirt or take it off."

"**Um… he needs you to take off your shirt, or just lift it. He needs to check your heart and lungs."** Ryou told Malik, who nodded and slid off his black tank top; and then wrinkled his nose at it seeing as it was damp with sweat.

"**Eww…"** Ryou giggled and Marik smirked from where he stood.

"Uh, yes. His brother mentioned that he's lost some weight over the past few days, and he's obviously sweating a lot," he mentioned with a blush, looking anywhere else but Malik's bare chest as Dr. James put the stethoscope in his ears and put the end up to Malik's chest. "But that's… it…" Yeah, he couldn't hear him. Ryou sighed; nope, not much help at all. He never was. The doctor seemed to be listening intently; furrowing his brows a bit and concentrating, moving it around after every few seconds.

"Take a deep breath," he said, and Ryou was translating before he even finished his demand. But as Malik breathed in he winced, and leaned foreword a little as if to relieve the pain. The doctor sighed, leaned back and motioned for Malik to put his shirt back on. He swung around in his chair and wrote some notes in Malik's file and shut it. "It looks like a small case of pneumonia, some tests will tell. And he's fever is too high to not admit him anyway." Ryou had kind of zoned out for a minute but snapped around to look at him; wait what? Dr. James signed a slip of paper and stood up. Smirking at him he shoved it in his hand, "I'd hate to be you. I'll go get a nurse to find you two room." And with that he left, leaving Ryou staring at the closed door in shock. He looked down at the paper and it was signed permission to stay with Malik after visiting hours so he could communicate with the doctors and nurses.

"**So what's going on?"** Marik asked as he pushed himself off the wall, and Malik too was looking to Ryou for answers. The white-haired teen turned around, still a little dazed. He'd be missing school for who knows how long! Most certainly all of tomorrow and most likely the next day; he had a test the day after tomorrow! He couldn't miss that! But this was part of his scholarship and he had to be here; did they really want him to miss classes and stuff? It wasn't exactly like he had a life; so he didn't have to worry about friends or a girlfriend or anything. But his studies had always come first, what if they went over something crucial or that was on the finals and he wasn't-

"**Ryou?"** Malik asked uneasily; looking worriedly at the other him.

"**Um… you're being admitted,"** Ryou said slowly, trying to not only find the words but translate them. Malik nodded, and looked to his feet that were swinging back and forth. Trying to hide how nervous he really was, and it took Ryou a few moments to ever realize that. He could have kicked himself; here he was worrying about a test and some stupid classes while Malik had to worry about being in a hospital in a foreign country where he wouldn't know what's going on at all because he doesn't speak English. Everything would be a confused blur and he would have no choice but to just let go and trust everything turned out okay. And just like that; Ryou was responsible for everything. He was the only connection Malik or Marik had; the other blonde had even looked lightly bothered by the fact that his younger brother would be in a foreign hospital. Both had no clue about the procedure's or anything and wouldn't know the difference if Malik was dying or had the sniffles. It was suddenly his responsibility to make sure they knew everything was going to turn out fine… without sounding like the other creepy nurses and doctors. Ryou found himself showing the smallest hints of a reassuring smile and saying **"It'll be okay though, they know what's wrong and you'll get better. It should only be a few days."**

"**We don't speak your language, dumbass." **Marik growled at him, causing Malik to yell at him. But he ignored him **"How are we suppose to know what's going on at all; we still don't know what's wrong with him!"** Before Ryou could answer Malik interrupted.

"**Could you please stay with us?"**

And suddenly, Ryou was important. Ryou was needed. And he found that his studies could wait. He smiled softly, while beaming on the inside, and nodded.

"**All right. I'll stay." **

**TBC...

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I know nothing of Princeton so I'm sorry if I got it wrong! I kind of skimmed the site. But the symptoms of pneumonia are true, I did research. Yes, I'm that obsessive!

Next chapter shouldn't take long as long as I don't procrastinate.

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!

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Melain

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